Myth 4 Conversation

“Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Is the Only Evidence-Based Treatment for Autism”

For over twenty years the Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) advocates have chanted that ABA is the only evidence-based treatment for autism. While it’s definitely true that ABA is the most researched, it is patently false that it is the only evidence-based or effective treatment. Why is this myth still so widely promoted and so strongly defended? Does this myth stand in the way of better treatment for children with autism or does it help somehow? Please add your view to the conversation.

I think that for sure ABA is way over rated. Only 1/3 of the kids in the program recover. Sitting all day with a tutor is very unnatural. Every other child learns through play and so do autistic kids. My son has been doing DIR Floortime for 6 months and has improved leaps and bounds. Where I live all of the funding most of the funding goes to the ABA program because they always claim they are the Only research based therapy when that is not true. Some moms and I started a group to try and raise awareness about how wonderful Floortime is ! It is http://www.floortime.ca